Are Republican Politicians Really Stupid?

I have never thought so. On the contrary, the Republican politicians I know well are far smarter and much more hard-working than the public gives them credit for. Still, there are times when you wonder: are Republican politicians–not voters, but politicians–pathologically unable to learn from experience?

The current immigration controversy is a case in point. Who could possibly consider it a good idea to bring in one-quarter to one-third of the population of Mexico to compete for low-wage jobs with native Americans? Hey, they will now be legal, so it must be OK! Is it possible that anyone–not to mention a Republican office-holder–could be that stupid?

Unfortunately, it may be. Michael Ramirez reminds us that we have been down this path before, although in a far more benign form:

It seems inconceivable that today’s Republican officeholders are dumb enough to be fooled again. Doesn’t it?